MLB Rumors

Twins starter Kyle Gibson was not selected to start Friday's game.

The Twins were considering three pitchers for Friday's start, and chose Samuel Deduno. Manager Ron Gardenhire said Gibson will eventually pitch in the rotation this year, but now wasn't the time. Gibson has a 3.25 ERA through nine Triple-A starts this season. 

Samuel Deduno will start for the Twins Friday.

The team needed a starter Friday, and three pitchers were being considered. Manager Ron Gardenhire confirmed on MLB Network Radio that Deduno has been picked to make the start. In three Triple-A starts, Deduno has a 2.70 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. 

Padres outfielder Will Venable homered for the second straight game Monday against the Cardinals. He has seven home runs, with five coming in his last 14 games (13 starts).

Venable is batting .280 (14 for 50) with a .620 slugging percentage and .953 OPS in his last 14 games. He also has two doubles, four stolen bases, eight runs and nine RBI in that span.

White Sox starter John Danks will make his season debut Friday, according to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman. 

Danks has been sidelined with a shoulder injury. He's made four starts in the minors. In his three Triple-A starts, Danks has a 3.45 ERA in 15 2/3 innings. Danks' first start of the year will come against the Marlins. 

In early May, Padres catcher Nick Hundley was very critical of teammate Yasmani Grandal, who is on the verge of returning from a 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. However, manager Bud Black said during an interview with MLB Network Radio that the incident has been handled.

"Nick Hundley's quotes are in the past," Black said. "I talked to them both, then they spoke. They're all good."

Hundley is expected to share the catching duties once Grandal's suspension ends.

Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. recently returned from biceps tendinitis, but isn't ready to play the field on a full-time basis yet, according to the Providence Journal.

Bradley could be called up to the majors soon after Shane Victorino left Monday's game with a hamstring issue. Paw Sox manager Gary DiSarcina said Bradley is ready for a callup, but playing the field could be an issue. "You want to pop him out of here and bring him up there, but what do you do if after five days his arm is sore," DiSarcina said. 

Bradley hit just .097/.263/.129 in 31 major-league at-bats, but has hit .315/.422/.463 in 54 Triple-A at-bats. 

Padres outfielder Kyle Blanks is beginning to come around offensively. He's batting .308 (4 for 13) with two home runs and five RBI in his last four games, prompting manager Bud Black to say a great opportunity awaits Blanks.

"His future is right in front of him, and it's bright, as long as we can keep him on the field," Black said during an interview with MLB Network Radio.

Giants outfielder Andres Torres tied a season-high with three hits Monday against the Nationals. He had one run, one double and one RBI. 

Torres, who has managed three hits three times, came into Monday's game mired in a 1-for-17 slump in his previous eight outings (three starts). Torres is batting .247 through 33 games.

Angels outfielder Scott Cousins has been optioned to Triple-A. 

Cousins was designated for assignment Saturday, and will be assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake. He played in seven games with the Angels, but only received four at-bats. Cousins is hitting .241/.298/.287 in 95 at-bats. 

Padres third baseman Chase Headley snapped a streak of 67 consecutive games without an error dating back to Aug. 21, when he misplayed a grounder in the second inning Monday against the Cardinals. He had 156 chances in between errors.